Interview – Kelly Besd

Canadian singer-songwriter, Kelly Besd has unveiled her new single, “Dreamin'”.

Fresh from her newly released debut album, Back To Me, “Dreamin’” is a poignant and hard-hitting track shining the spotlight on racial injustice and discrimination.  Harnessing the use of slow drums and her signature R&B vocal structures, Besd creates a warm, open, and ethereal listening experience for audiences while highlighting the need for change.

Besd teamed up with Jackie Art and K-Riz on the single. They offer their reflections and words of hope throughout the song: ‘Who standin for the cause? I’ll stand and give it my all’; ‘This love is seeking you, I hope it reaches you.’

While “Dreamin’” possesses a relatively optimistic overtone — ‘I’m dreamin of something I believe in, I’m dreamin’ that on each other we are leanin’ — the trio keeps their feet in the grass by reaching out as a call to action towards the listener.

“Dreamin’” and its lyrics are in part a reflection of the album, Back To Me, as a whole. Intricately layered throughout, each song covers pressing subject matter — from inequality, to acceptance and inclusivity, to lessons Besd has learned through navigating life’s ups and downs.

Watch the video for “Dreamin'” below, and find out more about Kelly Besd via our mini-interview.

Care to introduce yourself to our readers?

Hi there, I’m Kelly Besd based in Calgary, Alberta. I love everything about music, especially collaborating and blending genres to come up with unique new sounds. Aside from that, I love spending time with good friends, cooking, interior design, and my dog, Becky.

Tell us about the making of Dreamin’. Did you think it was too personal to make the song public?

I’ve always believed that no matter who you are or where you’re from, your skin colour, your sexual identity, your age, your body type, your economic status, we all deserve kindness and respect. Discrimination is still very prevalent in our society, and my eyes were opened wider in 2020 while attending a BLM march in my city. I found myself overcome with emotion seeing and hearing stories of so many, including people I know and love, who are affected in their daily lives. The feeling stayed with me and I felt compelled to write about it. I sat down at my piano and came up with the melody, then the words. I sent draft after draft to my producer, careful to discuss this delicate subject matter appropriately and convey a message of support and hope. Once my part was ready to go, I recorded the piano and vocals and my producer, ChefBeatz went to work on the instrumental. I then reached out to Jackie Art who had added a stellar part to my previously released single, Tuff Times. I also reached out to artist K-Riz who I had connected with via Instagram. The result was a beautiful collaboration complemented by a video filmed by LK Visuals in Calgary’s Central Memorial Park.

You get to rule the world for 1 day, and 1 rule that everyone gets to follow. What’s the rule?

My 1 rule would be – give everyone you encounter a compliment. Whether it’s their outfit, a great hairstyle, the way they do their job – a little love goes a long way, and we could all use a bit extra right now.

What’s it like moving from Calgary to Toronto?

I was born in Toronto, I grew up in Manitoba and moved to Calgary in 2008. Toronto will always be my hometown but Calgary is a beautiful and vibrant city with the breathtaking Rocky Mountains nearby and a budding music scene – a wonderful place to call home.

Canadian Beats is all about Canadian music, so who are your current favourite Canadian bands/ artists?

I’ve always been a big fan of Theory of a Deadman and I love Toronto artist Plaza. Locally, I’m obviously a big fan of Jackie Art and K-Riz featured on Dreamin’. Other local favorites are Sargeant and Comrade, L.I Freeze and TeaFannie.

Connect with Kelly Besd:
Website
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Instagram